Drive modules for vehicles

Abstract

An oil cooled electric drive module for hybrid vehicles includes an AC motor assembly having a shaft parallel to an output shaft, with the shafts being interconnected by a set of helical reduction gears. The motor shaft is provided with a rotary union for cooling oil that passes first axially and then radially through the shaft to an outer circumferential surface thereof beneath the core of a rotor attached thereto. The cooling oil passes beneath the rotor to the outer ends thereof, where annular deflectors disburse the oil to provide a coanda effect over the shorting rings of the rotor, onto the stator windings, and thence onto the motor housing for return to a cooling sump, which may include hydraulic and electric pumps for further desired cooling circulation. The invention also includes solenoid valves for shifting a splined collar between positions of interconnection and disconnection between the motor shaft and output shaft. The module of the invention is adapted for interpositioning within the drive shaft of a motor vehicle, with the output shaft of the module being connected at opposite ends to the vehicle drive shaft. The module is employed in various drive systems employing segmented shafts and multiple gear ratio clutch and gear assemblies. The clutch assemblies are of the dog type, and are spring loaded with a neutral position, hydraulic cushioning and synchronized control. The clutch assemblies operate for various interconnections between the various segments of a drive shaft and the shafts of one or more motor/generators.

1 . A post-transmission parallel hybrid drive module for a vehicle, comprising:
 an AC induction motor having a motor shaft extending therethrough, said motor shaft having a rotor attached thereto, said rotor being received within an array of stator windings, and said motor receiving cooling oil over opposite ends of said rotor and onto said stator windings;   a sump adjacent said motor for receiving cooling oil from said windings;   an input and an output shaft adapted at opposite ends thereof for interposition within a drive shaft of a vehicle;   a gear assembly interposed between said motor shaft and output shaft for selective driving engagement therebetween; and   a selective disconnect between said input and output shafts.   
   
   
       2 . The post-transmission parallel hybrid drive module for a vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein said gear assembly comprises gears of two different gear mesh ratios for selective driving engagement at two speed ratios. 
   
   
       3 . The post-transmission parallel hybrid drive module for a vehicle according to  claim 2 , further comprising a shift assembly interposed with said gear assembly, said shift assembly having a neutral position between said gear ratios. 
   
   
       4 . The post-transmission parallel hybrid drive module for a vehicle according to  claim 3 , wherein said shift assembly comprises a single sliding element selectively engaging said two different gear mesh ratios. 
   
   
       5 . The post-transmission parallel hybrid drive module for a vehicle according to  claim 4 , wherein said shift assembly further comprises a hydraulically actuated shifting yoke and a spring return mechanism, biasing said sliding element to said neutral position. 
   
   
       6 . The post-transmission parallel hybrid drive module for a vehicle according to  claim 5 , wherein said shift assembly further comprises hydraulic cushioning at ends of strokes of said shifting yoke, and at said neutral position. 
   
   
       7 . A hybrid drive module for vehicles, comprising:
 a motor having a motor shaft;   an output shaft adapted at opposite ends thereof for interposition within a drive shaft of a vehicle, said drive shaft having an input shaft portion and a remaining portion;   a first gear assembly interposed between said motor shaft and output shaft;   a first shift assembly interposed with said first gear assembly for effecting selective driving engagement between said motor shaft and output shaft; and   a second shift assembly interposed between said input shaft portion and said remaining portion for selective driving engagement between said portions.   
   
   
       8 . The hybrid drive module for vehicles according to  claim 7 , wherein said first gear assembly comprises at least two different gear mesh ratios for selective driving engagement in at least two different speed ranges. 
   
   
       9 . The hybrid drive module for vehicles according to  claim 8 , wherein said first shift assembly has a neutral position between said at least two gear ratios. 
   
   
       10 . The hybrid drive module for vehicles according to  claim 9 , wherein said first shift assembly comprises a sliding mechanism operatively interposed between said at least two gear mesh ratios. 
   
   
       11 . The hybrid drive module for vehicles according to  claim 10 , wherein said sliding mechanism comprises a hydraulically actuated shifting yoke, and at least one spring mechanism biasing said shifting yoke to neutral. 
   
   
       12 . The hybrid drive module for vehicles according to  claim 11 , wherein said sliding mechanism receives a pair of pins, each operatively engaging a said spring mechanism operative within respective hydraulic cylinders. 
   
   
       13 . The hybrid drive module for vehicles according to  claim 12 , wherein said spring mechanisms comprise pistons received within said respective hydraulic cylinders, said pistons and cylinders configured to provide hydraulic cushioning at the end of travel of said shifting yoke in a shifting operation. 
   
   
       14 . The hybrid drive module for vehicles according to  claim 7 , wherein said first gear assembly comprises gears supported by bearings upon said output shaft. 
   
   
       15 . The hybrid drive module for vehicles according to  claim 7 , further comprising a second gear assembly between said output shaft and said motor shaft. 
   
   
       16 . The hybrid drive module for vehicles according to  claim 15 , wherein said second shift assembly is interposed with said second gear assembly and operative between said input portion and said remaining portion to selectively engage said motor shaft with said remaining portion or said input portion with said remaining portion. 
   
   
       17 . The hybrid drive module for vehicles according to  claim 16 , wherein said second shift assembly is further characterized by a selectable neutral position, and said second shift assembly is hydraulically actuated and spring biased to said neutral position. 
   
   
       18 . The hybrid drive module for vehicles according to  claim 17 , wherein said second gear assembly comprise a gear rotatably supported by bearings upon said input portion. 
   
   
       19 . A multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion, comprising:
 a first motor/generator operatively positioned at, and offset from, an input of a multiple speed actuator controlled gearing system; and   a second motor/generator operatively positioned at, and offset from, a point of said multiple speed actuator controlled gearing system beyond said first motor/generator and toward an output thereof.   
   
   
       20 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 19 , wherein one of said first and second motor/generators continues to maintain power to an associated vehicle during shifting of gears of said gearing system associated with another of said first and second motor/generators. 
   
   
       21 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 20 , wherein all gears of said gearing system are mounted on parallel shafts and such gears are chosen from the group of helical and spur gears. 
   
   
       22 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 19 , wherein said gears are shifted with dog-type clutches, slidable upon said shafts. 
   
   
       23 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 22 , further comprising a control system sensing motor and shaft rotational speeds and controlling operation of said motor/generators to achieve synchronized gear shifting. 
   
   
       24 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 19 , further comprising a clutchable input from a heat engine, providing both a series and a parallel hybrid drive system for vehicular propulsion. 
   
   
       25 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 24 , wherein said heat engine is coupled to an input shaft of said gearing system, said input shaft being coaxial with an intermediate shaft, said intermediate shaft being selectively connected to an input portion of said gearing system 
   
   
       26 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 25 , wherein said input portion of said gearing system is coupled to said input shaft with a dog clutch for selective engagement and disengagement. 
   
   
       27 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 25 , wherein said input portion of said gearing system comprises multiple gears for selective engagement among said first motor/generator, input shaft and intermediate shaft. 
   
   
       28 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 27 , wherein said first and second motor/generators are selectively electrically coupled together to effect a series hybrid drive for vehicular propulsion. 
   
   
       29 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 28 , said series hybrid drive has multiple selectable gear ratios. 
   
   
       30 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 25 , wherein said gearing system further comprises an output shaft, said input, intermediate and output shafts being coaxial and selectively interengageable. 
   
   
       31 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 30 , wherein said input portion of said gearing system comprises an input secondary shaft operatively interposed among said input and intermediate shafts and said first motor/generator. 
   
   
       32 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 31 , wherein said output portion of said gearing system comprise an output secondary shaft operatively interposed among said output and intermediate shafts and said second motor/generator. 
   
   
       33 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 25 , wherein said heat engine is selectively engageable to work in parallel with said first and second electric motor/generators at multiple selectable gear ratios. 
   
   
       34 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 33 , wherein said first and second motor/generators may be simultaneously engaged for maximum power. 
   
   
       35 . The multiple electric motor/generator drive system for vehicular propulsion according to  claim 34 , wherein said first and second motor/generators can be selectively disengaged, allowing said heat engine alone to efficiently power said vehicle.